WWII Exhibits Open In Burlington

Burlington, IA – The German Army offered its unconditional surrender to allied forces on May 7, 1945. The end of the war in Europe prompted celebrations across the country and around the world on May 8, 1945.

May 8 is now known as Victory in Europe Day, or V-E Day. The Des Moines County Historical Society used V-E Day to unveil a pair of new exhibits for the public.

One exhibit is a collection of posters by Carl Grothe, who worked at the Iowa Ordinance Plant. The other, "Victory Begins at Home," offers a varied collection from Des Moines County.

To celebrate the new exhibits, the Des Moines County Historical Society held a "Victory Party" Friday night. More than 70 turned out for the event, which feature live music, a dinner buffet, a fashion show, and an educational presentation.

The event brought back a lot of memories for those in attendance.

The exhibits will be on display for the next 6 months. The Des Moines Heritage Center is open from 10-5 Tuesday through Saturday and from 12-5 on Sunday.

You can hear Public Radio's Jason Parrott's full report by clicking the audio link above.